Analysing Film Opening Sequences & ScenesBY SABRINA BOURHABA

Skyfall (dir: Mendes, 2012)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4gdhsVKTcs

The title sequence begins with a protagonist seen descending in a sea from a low angle shot however this pans to a high angleshot, from this we can infer a change in power from a superior position to inferior as the camera fades into black, a colour which connotes death. The flaccid and lifeless body of the protagonist brings a tone of dread in suspense for a resolve as to his unresponsive body. Once action is seen again on the screen the protagonist continues his descent now being pulled by a large hand. It may be suggested the size of the hand in proportion to the protagonist depicts a controlling and forceful influence against him. A point of view shot places the viewer in first person perspective of the protagonist as a vast black hole widens and 'we' sink into the dark abyss. This is done to reflect the subject's uncertainty as to where he descends to and build tension. As a target board of a man in a suit with a bullet hole in his shoulder appears on screen we also see the title credits for actor 'Ralph Fiennes'. The bullet hole begins to bleed and we as an audience can deduce that the actor's character is foreshadowed to be injured. The costume on screen includes a suited figure which may signify both the importance of the character but also a seriousness to his position within the film. A key moment in the opening titles are the falling of weapons such as knives and guns falling to merge into gravestones in a cemetery, a symbolic representation of the connotations of violence that a genre like action carries as well as deaths that coincide with the protagonist who is next seen in an extreme close up. Such a thing as the eyecolour being bright blue plays key significance as this is a cold colour in tone and connotes authority and power. Immediately upon the next cameo of the protagonist we see him 'shoot' his own shadows as they become animated in attempted to attack him. This suggests psychological issues facing the subject as he struggles with mere reflections of himself, possibly an internal battle with his many 'personalities'. The final footage of the initial opening of the titles depicts a girl holding a gun in a medium close up from a point of view shot, from this we may conclude that the girl is the antagonist of the film as we feel subjected to her death threat from the antagonist's perspective. The titles were produced by Eon Productions, a British film production company known only for its support of the James Bond franchise. The music scored over the opening credits features repeated piano chords played consecutively reflecting that of a human heartbeat. Paired with the lyric 'this is the end' this gives the impression of an erratic, panicked heart to build tension and build up to a climatic crescendo reflecting the action on screen as fight scenes ensue. The camera cuts are faded and dissolved into dark colours to create a feeling of disorientation to the audience and this builds a tense and enigmatic title sequence.

Screenshots from title sequence

Production Company Film title

Co-ProducersTop Billing Actor (Unique Selling Point)

Low Angle Shot

Long Shot

Screenshots cont.

Crew

DirectorProducers

WritersHigh Angle

Antichrist (dir: von Trier, 2009)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0tJfQAeyno

Antichrist opens with a sharp female operatic music score, the stringed, deep tones that the instrumental carries provides a sombre, depressive and cold atmosphere to coincide with the black and white editing which connotes a flashback. The said flashback begins with an establishing, canted angle shot of a child's nursery which not only gives the impression of disillusion to reflect the flashback but also that a child serves as a backstory for the narrative of the film. This partnered with the smooth fading cuts to transition from scene to scene give the impression of a flashback that is commonly occurring and familiar. The next cut transitions to an adult's bedroom in which two adults in an intimate moment are pulled out of focus to a shallow focus on a baby monitor. This serves as a visual bridge for the next cut which features a child hitting the paired baby monitor acting as symbolism to the separation between the child and his parents. A child's feet are seen from a floor height shot as he descends from his crib, the bars of which he has escaped expressing the idea of the child's freedom both presently and later in terms of life. As the cut transitions to footage of a glass bottle fallingfrom a nightstand, this foreshadows the idea something will be spilt or will fall creating a tense atmosphere as only the child is free to roam. When the child appears again he is seen with strong lighting illuminating his face and body showing his white pyjamas, the colour of which conveying both his innocence and the significance of the character. Following the child's movements as he stands by his parent's room, he turns only his head to look directly at the audience, this movement would imply he is being sneaky about his actions and does not wish to be caught as his gaze falls upon the open window. The wide shot of props such as paper, figurines and children's toys suggest that this is set to be a drama. As action match is used to transition from a view of the window to the child pushing his chair against the table positioned by the window, cross cutting transitions to the parents whom are still in their intimate moment, blissfully unaware. This creates tension between the audience, specifically of which are dedicated mothers, and the characters for their ignorance about the child. Once the child moves onto the table the directors intentions for using slow motion throughout are all the more powerful. The audience are now aware of the prospect that the child will fall from the window and the slow motion editing draws out the tension creating an emotional and dramatic end to the opening.

Screenshots of opening scene

Establishing Shot Shallow Focus (Pull focus used)

Low Angle Shot

Big Close UpPOV Shot

Screenshots cont.

Shallow Focus Medium Close UpHigh Angle Shot

Medium ShotMedium Shot

Shaun of the Dead (dir: Wright, 2004)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCso753oVfw

The non-diegetic music of the opening sequence holds futuristic elements due to the bouncy, unusual and mysterious tones made by wind instruments which are often associated with horror film scores, immediately suggesting a genre for this film. When one cut transitions to another this is creatively done using a continuous panning shot with objects taking up full length of the screen successfully split screening the shot as one cut changes to another. The next cut to appear is asupermarket with women working on the check outs moving in a synchronous fashion, from this movement we may infer that it is a mindless, dull, robotic activity much like a zombie. The transition to the next cut depicts a row of men at a bus stop who continue on the synchronous movement but now the facial expression of three of the men can been seen. The audience perceives the blank expression and simultaneous we are met with the zombie theme once again. When the film title finally appears, the font of the title is broken, rigid and bold in both and comical but destructive way. This is superimposed against a very long shot featuring a large group of teenagers in their stereotypical costumes of hoodies and loose trousers all moving synchronously reflecting both the connotations of a zombie being mindless but also teenagers following each other. A boy is seen in the next cut playing with a football in another very long shot, however this shot is used to display the setting for the film: a green, nature filled city street that is peaceful and calm. This would imply thatthe environment for the characters at first is relaxing but the 'zombies' are moving in. Lighting in this shot is also used to symbolise the transition from human to zombie as the teenagers are progressing towards the dark alley from a sunny well lit main street, implying they are becoming monsters. Our protagonist is first seen in the next shot at first with a close upon his feet which move in a very loose, dragging, zombie type fashion. This creates a tense atmosphere for the audience as it may be the first time a 'zombie' is seen up close. Tensions however are dropped when the camera tilts upwards to a medium close up of the protagonist's face who we see is simply an ordinary man who has just woken from a slumber. We then see this man in a two shot with a companion in a messy living room as the newly introduced man asks the other man if he has 'work'. The state of the flat contrasted with the dialogue would imply this is a busy man giving the audience the impression his significance in the film will be high action and of strong importance.

Screenshots of title sequence

Distribution Production

Production Film Title

Screenshots cont.

Medium Close UpVery Long Shot

Two Shot

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (dir: Columbus, 2001)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYHbdh9yTMHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone opens with an establishing shot of an owl on a sign for ‘Privet Drive’, immediately the impression given is that this is an eerie and mysterious setting due to the presence of the owl and the connotations of supernatural it carries. This implies a genre for the film: Supernatural. As the camera shot pans to a man seen faintly in an extreme long shot we are zoomed into a medium shot for a closer view. The mise en scene of the scene specifically the costume of the old aged man includes a robe, pointed hat and long beard, all of which suggest he is a wizard thus carrying on the conventions of a supernatural film. The next cut that is seen is a close up on a device that the man owns which he flicks to elevate, as this is a foreign device the audience are left feeling both confused yet interested. As the man is seen from a low angle shot beforehand this would make the implication this object along with the man are powerful. Special effects are used in a wide shot as the man uses the device to extract the light, this is a shocking development for the audience as the device now has a purpose. The rule of thirds is successfully used in this film opening on a cat to portray the significance and ignorance in the film. Special effects are used again on the shadow of the cat as the camera pans left for the morphing of the cat into a human shadow. A medium two shot is used on the man and now female who shares similar costume suggesting they are both wizards but also companions of some sort based upon the close proxemics and tightness of the shot. The final shot for the opening is the entrance of a third and final subject: a large disheveled man on a flying motorbike. The bright lighting from the motorbike implies the positivity the man is set to bring which to the audience familiar with the books knows it is the boy who lived. The magical and wind instrument influenced music that is scored over the footage provides a mystical and mysterious element to the film connoting the supernatural genre.

Screenshots of opening scene

Establishing Shot Medium Shot Close Up

High Angle Shallow FocusWide Shot

Screenshots cont.

Rule of Thirds

Two Shot Medium Close Up

Medium shot

Long shot